Dancing With The Stars

A new study by Experian-Simmons found conservative-leaning viewers tend to favor reality programming like 'Dancing With the Stars,' 'The Bachelor,' 'The Biggest Loser,' 'MythBusters,' but one exception to that trend was 'Jersey Shore.' Also among GOP favorites is the History Channel's block of programming: 'Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy,' 'American Pickers,' and 'Swamp People.'

Two other popular liberal shows, 'Glee' and 'Modern Family,' topped the conservative list last year, but are no longer two of the favorite shows among Republican viewers, according to EW. They did, however, still rank high with those on the more liberal end of the political spectrum.

In her search for a new 'Live!' (weekdays, syndicated on ABC) co-host, Kelly Ripa was coupled Monday with 'Dancing With the Stars' pro Derek Hough. Although Hough failed to take home the Mirror Ball Trophy this season for the first time in 'DWTS' tenure, he still had a pretty good year. 'People' named him one of their Sexiest Men Alive, and Kelly just so happened to have a copy of the magazine on hand.

In Hough's photo-spread, he's hanging shirtless from a steel beam with his pants looking like they're about to fall off. Kelly shook the magazine and did her best Regis impression, yelling, "C'mon! Everything is defying gravity, darn it!"

Nancy Grace didn't seem like she was in a dancing mood on 'The Talk' (weekdays, syndicated on CBS) but the ladies had other ideas. As the 'Dancing With the Stars' veteran worked through her list of excuses -- she didn't have the right shoes, there was no dancefloor, she needed music and her partner -- the 'Talk' ladies had an answer for every one of them. They brought Grace a pair of dancing shoes, cleared the studio floor, lowered a mirrored ball, and then Grace's 'DWTS' partner Tristan MacManus appeared from backstage.

This week's installment of 'Being Chaz' (Sun., 8PM ET on OWN) took us back to the fallout from the announcement that Chaz Bono would be joining this latest season of 'Dancing With the Stars.' His fiancée Jennifer Elia was shocked and horrified at some of the comments that came through Twitter.

It is amazing how much hatred some people can have in their hearts. Certainly, the Internet has made it easier for these people to spew some of the most horrific and terrifying bile toward others, and Bono received plenty, including threats of physical violence and death.

"I don't think its worth it to do this show if he's gonna get shot," Elia said. "I don't want him to die for a cause."

Wilson Phillips is one of the biggest musical acts of all time, so it's a big deal that they've decided to reunite for an album. 'Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On' (Sun., 9PM ET on TV Guide) is set to chronicle the creation of that album, but right away it hit a major hurdle when Chynna Phillips had to tell bandmates Carnie and Wendy Wilson that she'd agreed to be on 'Dancing With the Stars.'

She was surprised that they weren't as supportive of this "huge opportunity" for her. Carnie was concerned about the album they'd committed to do, while Wendy couldn't seem to get her jaw hinge to work. It was certainly a huge blow, but it might have gone over easier had Chynna told them that this was a huge opportunity for all of them.

Chaz Bono dropped by 'The Wendy Williams Show' (weekdays, syndicated on Fox) to talk to his fellow 'Dancing With The Stars' alum about his upcoming OWN special, 'Being Chaz,' a follow-up to OWN's Emmy nominated special 'Becoming Chaz.' Bono said they "started shooting it a few weeks before 'Dancing With The Stars' and filmed it the whole way through ... It's got a lot of drama and a lot of behind-the- scenes of 'Dancing With The Stars.'"

When Chaz came on in May to talk about 'Becoming Chaz,' he mentioned that he wasn't comfortable with the procedures available for transgender female-to-male genital reassignment surgery, but told Wendy today that, "There's a procedure that I'll probably do ... when I get some time off."

The good news keeps on coming for 'Dancing With the Stars' Season 13 winner J.R. Martinez. The newly crowned champion will co-host the pre-show of 'CNN's Heroes: An All-Star Tribute' on Dec. 11.

Martinez will also take part in 'CNN Heroes: Where Are They Now?' special (Thurs., Nov. 24 at 8PM ET), which will feature guests such as George Lopez and Rainn Wilson discussing the CNN Heroes who have inspired them.

Before joining the cast of ABC's 'All My Children,' Martinez joined the military at 19, and in 2003, he was deployed to Iraq. After serving two months as an United States Army infantryman, he was badly injured when his Humvee truck ran over a landmine. He suffered a coma and intense burns on over 40 percent of his body, lost most of the hair on his head and one of his ears.

That's right -- AOL TV had it's very own award to dish out to one very lucky star.

Unlike the Mirror Ball, the Crystal Ball doesn't go to the most skilled dancer or even the star with the most likeable personality. Instead, it went to the person who I believe rose to the challenge week after week and, in the end, walked away from the experience somewhat transformed.

So who took home the incredibly shiny Crystal Ball? The answer may surprise you ...

In honor of those who are trying to avoid finding out who won 'Dancing With the Stars' last night because they're still planning to watch the finale on DVR, here's the last 'DWTS' !!!SPOILER ALERT!!! of the season. You're welcome, now stop reading.

Everyone else, read on ... It was all smiles backstage last night as the three finalists and their pro dance partners walked the post-show press line. We've all heard the stories of award-winners keeping their trophies in the bathroom or in a dark cupboard, but where does the new 'DWTS' champ plan to keep his/her coveted Mirror Ball trophy?

"Right now I'm going to put mine in bed. I'm going to tuck it in, and it's going to roll around with me. And then after that, once we've kind of grown apart, I'm going to glue it to the hood of my car and drive around ... and honk my horn and it will be my own parade."

The winners of 'Dancing With the Stars' will surely make quite a tour of the various media outlets, but 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' (Weeknights, 12AM ET on ABC) got them first. Live via satellite, he talked to the winners about their hard-earned victory.

!!SPOILER ALERT!!

The pair were grinning ear to ear, each holding the trophy they'd earned over the past ten weeks. It was a close finish between Rob Kardashian and J.R. Martinez, but in the end it was the Iraq War veteran who brought it home.

It was a night of tears, a night of surprises and a night that two people will probably never forget.

In what might have been the most evenly matched finale ever, it was anyone's trophy to take home on the Season 13 finale of 'Dancing With the Stars.' And indeed there was a shocker -- at least when it came to the top two.

Going into the Season 13 finale, it really was anyone's Mirror Ball to win -- or lose. Rob Kardashian was on top after a stellar freestyle, while season-long frontrunners J.R. Martinez and Ricki Lake were tied for second, trailing Kardashian by three points after Monday night's performances.

It was an intense 10 weeks for all three contestants, but in the end it all came down to a fight between the most improved of the season and the indestructible fighter.

We've loved watching Ricki Lake charm American audiences once again on this season of 'Dancing With the Stars,' and can you believe her transformation? Amazing.

She's lost more than 20 pounds since the season began, but what don't we know about the 'Dancing' finalist?

Ricki Lake shared "25 Things You Don't Know About Me" in this week's Us Weekly, and we've got the list right here, including her drink of choice, the famous couple she bought her house from, the TV character name she went by as a kid and the one thing we'll never see her do.

When Season 13 of 'Dancing With the Stars' premiered, hardly anyone thought Rob Kardashian would make it to Week 4, let alone the finals -- but he did. And perhaps even more surprising? He deserved to.

But just because he's leading the pack heading into tonight's grand finale (Tues., Nov. 22 at 8PM ET), doesn't mean that you should count out J.R. Martinez and Ricki Lake just yet.

Ricki's been Season 13's ringer. She has the performance background, the technique and, from Week 1, she was in it to win it. Did I mention that she's also had the biggest physical transformation?

J.R. was the relative unknown with the heroic background. He's relied on his natural talent and personality to get him through week to week, winning the hearts of millions of Americans. Then there's Rob. Every season has an underdog, and this season, it was Rob. Sure, he may have millions of fans and tons of celebrity support, but he's had to fight for his spot in the finals. Do any of you remember his disastrous Week 1 waltz?

Who'd have thought in Week One that the least-known member of the Kardashian clan would be in poll position going into tonight's'Dancing With the Stars' finale? Yet last night Rob Kardashian and partner Cheryl Burke scored their first perfect 30 for their freestyle dance, which helped put them ahead of fellow finalists Ricki Lake and J.R. Martinez.

Speaking to reporters on the post-show press line last night Rob and Cheryl were elated with their performance, with Rob telling E! Online that their success is due to his increased confidence. "I gained confidence as the weeks went on and took it a little more seriously. I still have fun with it," he said, but "something clicked and I really want that trophy. I really realized it's possible."

Ricki Lake and Derek Hough joked that they've already bought their own Mirror Ball trophy just in case they lose out tonight. "There's a store down the street that makes mirror ball trophies for fifteen bucks," he laughed, "so I've already got that made just in case."